With its mahogany body, select AAA grade figured maple top, and vintage natural flat finish, the Ibanez BTB1405EVNF is as visually striking as it is rewarding to play. The precision crafted thru-neck construction, a Rosewood fretboard, and the Mono-Rail IV bridge, all contribute to the BTB's musical liveliness. Slide your hand up and down the fingerboard, and notice the smoothness of the fret edges. That's part of what Ibanez calls the "Premium Treatment". The hand rolled frets, the product of a skilled hand-crimping process that produces noticeably smooth fret edges. Nordstrand "Big Single" pickups provide a full, loud, and aggressive single-coil tone.

Ibanez's Premium line of guitars and basses, designed for the working pro, now expands their offering to their BTB bass series. At a glance, the knowledgeable player recognizes the BTB's bold design advantages. To start, the 35" scale means slightly increased tension particularly to the lower strings, negating any sense of string "floppiness." The super-deep cutaway provides a musical invitation in the form of access to an entire higher octave. Turn the bass over and prepare to be amazed! The neck is a seven-piece Maple/Bubinga/Walnut masterpiece.

After purchasing an Ibanez ATK Premium bass about 6-months ago, I thought I found the perfect bass. That was until my new Ibanez BTB 1405 Premium showed up. I sold a Fender Marcus Miller Jazz Bass in order to purchase this bass (it just didn't have the tone diversity I needed). This bass is by far the best musical gear purchase I have ever made. Without going into all of the details, here are the highlights: incredibly light, beautiful wood craftsmanship, neck through design, fast neck, Nordstrand pickups are incredible, the sustain goes on forever, and the bass simply can do everything? The only new bass feature I did not care for was the cable lock that requires two-hands to unplug. If you are looking for an affordable "boutique-style" bass then look no further. Also thanks to Sam Ash for the great price on this bass. As I am finishing this reveiw I just realized that I have sold two Fender basses to get my Ibanez basses...I guess I am now an Ibanez guy.